A mid-summer online survey of UVA Law alumni shows that the economic downturn is clouding the business and culture of the nation’s law firms and in-house legal departments. Its intensity depends largely on the size of the firm or company, and to a lesser degree the size of the city in which the firm or company is based. National and international firms are faring worse than their local and regional counterparts, and publicly-traded entities are struggling more than privately-held companies and non-profits. MORE

FACING ONE OF THE MOST difficult job markets in recent memory, the Law School hired Kevin Donovan, a former litigation partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Philadelphia, to serve as head of the Office of Career Services.

“Kevin Donovan combines managerial skills with a detailed knowledge of the law firm world,” said Law School Dean Paul G. Mahoney. “I’m very pleased that he will be hereto help our students during a difficult time in the market for legal services.”

A TANGIBLE BUT ELUSIVE
era of change is emerging in how private sector lawyers provide services and receive compensation. The very definition of success — what it will look like, how it will be measured, and the feasibility of annually replicating it — are in flux.

This article is written from the perspectives of two former practicing attorneys who are now legal recruiters. Our goal is to identify the qualities necessary to achieve success in 21st century private practice. We believe, at a minimum, these qualities will include the initiative, innovation, and responsibility required by an “enterprise culture. MORE

Law School News

O. Yale Lewis, Jr.
Renaissance Lawyer
Yale Lewis '69 has built a career and a reputation as a lawyer who fights for the underdog, thirsts for intellectual challenge, and mines a deep streak of idealism.
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